Inner World
by moonnymph
Summary: *YAOI* Yami/Yugi. Yugi slips into another world, which his long-lost other half has lived Yugi's entire life. But Yugi doesn't know that... Flames accepted.
1. Prologue

Hi! I'm ba-ck with a brand-new fanfiction! I'm not gonna bore you with author's notes,  
  
so here you go! And I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.  
  
WARNING: This story contains yaoi, or boy/boy relationships. Yami/Yugi and  
  
Bakura/Ryou. Possible Seto/Joey. If you don't like it, why are you reading? I warned you  
  
in the summary. I deleted a scene from this chapter, just so you know.  
  
Inner World: Prologue  
  
Yugi Muoto was currently walking home in the crisp February air, his breath  
  
floating up in a white haze. 'I can't believe I even asked her to go with me to the  
  
Valentine's Day dance.' He fumed, still disbelieving what he had done. He had asked Tea  
  
Gardener to the dance, only to be rejected.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Hey Tea, I was wondering if you had a date to the dance." Yugi said hopefully.  
  
"No, I don't Yugi. I'm waiting for this guy I like to ask me." She replied. "Oh, well, if it  
  
doesn't work out, would you go with me?" "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I don't like you that  
  
way."  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
So now Yugi was trudging through the thin snow, making his way home. He  
  
pushed open the door to the game shop, the bells chiming his arrival.  
  
"Grandpa! I'm home!" He called, his voice reaching out to every corner of the house.  
  
"Yugi, my boy, how was school today?" Solomon said, entering from the back of  
  
the shop. Yugi spoke the universal answer:  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Oh? Then why do you look so downhearted?"  
  
"Don't want to talk about it." Yugi said glumly. "I'm gonna go to bed." He  
  
continued, already heading towards the living room.  
  
"Don't you want dinner?" Solomon asked, concerned.  
  
"I'm not hungry." Yugi's voice faded as he headed upstairs.  
  
After he had showered, he crawled into his bed. The comforting weight of his  
  
blankets gently lulled him to sleep. The edges of his mind receded from his fingertips and  
  
toes until he was safe in his soulroom.  
  
~*~ Yugi's parents had died in a car crash when he was four. He was so traumatized that he  
  
sealed the painful memory away.  
  
~Flashback~  
"Yugi, I'm sorry, but your parents have passed away." The doctor's voice was  
filled with sorrow.  
  
"No, they're just sleeping, you have to wake them up!" Yugi shrieked, not  
  
believing his own words, tears flowing down his cheeks. Grandpa took him home and  
  
Yugi, so depressed, fell asleep instantly.  
  
He woke up in a room filled with toys. He remembered what happened earlier,  
  
and once again started crying. He realized it was not his room, but didn't do anything. It  
  
reflected his personality so much. Choosing to ignore this, he burrowed deep into the  
  
blankets.  
  
~*~ Yami was lying on the huge bed in his soulroom. It was a darker, more depressing place  
  
than Yugi's room. He suddenly heard the sobs of a child echoing through the labyrinth.  
  
He rose up from the bed and wandered to the hallway.  
  
He glanced into the narrow corridor to the room his hikari possessed. The door  
  
had always been shut, but Yugi's mind sensed him there, and it opened the door. Yami  
  
peered into the room, astounded by the bright colors and cheerfulness it contained. He  
  
spotted a small form sprawled out on the bed. He sat down next to him.  
  
"What's your name, boy?" He inquired, his voice still carrying a cold edge left  
  
over from his reign as pharaoh. Yugi looked up, his eyes flowing tears.  
  
"I'm Yugi." Fear had crept into his voice, barely audible.  
  
The huge amethyst eyes entranced Yami, innocence clearly visible. His  
  
heart clenched at the expression of pure grief, and instantly felt bad for sounding so..  
  
cruel. "What's wrong, chibi?" He asked, his voice now warm.  
  
"My par-ents died." Yugi choked out, breaking down completely.  
  
Yami pulled him onto his lap, soothing him and rubbing his back. He didn't know  
  
why he was being so nice, he was the all-mighty King of Games. Yugi clenched at  
  
Yami's shirt, shaking and crying.  
  
"Shh, hush little one. Dry your eyes, it'll be alright." He whispered calmly, as  
  
Yugi fell asleep. "It'll be alright."  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
~*~ End of Chapter One  
  
So, what did everyone think? I'm sorry if this looks messed up, my typing system's really  
  
weird. I can't make paragraphs! If I didn't skip a line, it would be crunched together in a  
  
huge mess. *shakes head* Please review, I want to know your opinion. Flames accepted. 


	2. Egyptian Dreams

Hi again! Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! You guys make me so happy! *teary  
  
eyes* Yep, the usual: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.  
  
Responses to reviews:  
  
Redrum: I hope this clears it up!  
  
Yami-no-Yugi: I wasn't going to have Tea be sent to the shadow realm, but I might. ^_^  
  
Kelly: I'm sorry I was evil. Here's the update!  
  
Firedraygon97: Thanks for the compliment!  
  
U don't wanna noe: Same here. ^_^  
  
CherryBlossom Maiden: Here you go!  
  
Anime AndrAIa: Thanks! I don't like Tea either. _ Some yaoi couples are really good.  
  
Mirakai and Yami Mirakai: O_O That's an extreme compliment. Not that I mind....  
  
Princess Strawberry: Another one of my favorite authors reviewed. ^________^  
  
AngelsKitten: Here it is!  
  
Kawaiigal28: WHY IS IT THAT I'M ALWAYS MEAN TO MY FAVES?! I don't get it.  
  
Friday: I did write more. ^_^  
  
Special Thanks to Yami-no-Yugi and CherryBlossom Maiden for putting me on your  
  
favorites list. ^__^  
  
Inner World, Chapter One: Egyptian Dreams  
  
~Still Flashback~  
  
"Mmph." Yugi stirred from his slumber, waking Yami up in the process. He blinked  
  
sleepily, making Yami's heart melt at the edges. But the peaceful moment didn't last  
  
long, as a tidal wave of grief washed over Yugi.  
  
~*~  
  
It was a week after the funeral, and Yugi was still mourning for his deceased mother and  
  
father. He was stuck in-between reality and his soulroom. Grandpa couldn't get him to  
  
talk, and Yami couldn't find him. Both were extremely worried. Yugi stared at  
  
something, his smile not beaming from his lips for a long time. "Please, Yugi, say  
  
something, anything!" Grandpa begged, his efforts trivial. He sighed, leaving Yugi to  
  
stare at the coffee table.  
  
~*~  
  
Yami was pacing up and down the corridor, waiting for Yugi to appear in his soulroom.  
  
He couldn't sense Yugi's emotions, it was as if his thoughts and feelings were numbed  
  
over. "Yugi...let me help you..." He murmured. With that, Yugi was sucked  
  
back into his room, passing out in the real world. He looked around blearily, dazed.  
  
"There you are, I was concerned." The baritone voice hit him softly, waking him up in a  
  
way. He spotted Yami glancing uncertainly into his soulroom.  
  
"Who are you?" Yugi whispered, nearly overwhelmed by the fleeting instinct to run.  
  
Wasn't he a stranger, a person his mom told him to be wary of? But this man did not feel  
  
like a stranger. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact.  
  
"My name is Yami, and I'm am your yami, your darker half." He paused. "And you are  
  
my little hikari, my light half. We are connected over time and distance, for I was born in  
  
Egypt over a millennia ago." He saw Yugi's baffled face. "But this is a lot of information  
  
for you to take in, especially at your age. Why haven't I seen you for so long, hikari?"  
  
"My parents..." Yugi drifted off, his emotions clearly visible in the expressive eyes.  
  
He lunged at Yami, throwing his arms around his waist. The darker half just wrapped his  
  
arms around Yugi, almost as a reflex. "I just want the pain to go away." He sobbed into  
  
Yami's shirt. "It's possible, Yugi. You can seal it all away." Yugi gazed up and did what  
  
Yami had said. A new door, not unlike the many in Yami's, appeared in Yugi's room,  
  
tightly sealed shut. Behind was all of the memories of his parents. But since his parent's  
  
death was what led him to meet Yami, he forgot about him too. Yami was forced out, the  
  
entrance to Yugi's room slamming shut, as another door appeared, keeping the memories  
  
of Yami captive. The opening to the room had not locked, leaving the possibility of  
  
opening again. Yami was once again enclosed in the dark, waiting for the day he and his  
  
light were to be reunited. Until then, he prowled the darkness.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
Grandpa was bewildered that Yugi had suddenly become, and remained, a cheerful and  
  
optimistic person. Now he was asleep, curled up in his bed.  
  
~Dream Sequence~  
  
"Pharaoh....Pharaoh!" "What?" The cold voice answered. Yugi glanced around. "This  
  
place, it's unreal!" He wandered around, touching the marble floor and stone walls with  
  
intricate carvings. 'Hieroglyphics.' He thought, recognizing the pictures from his 6th  
  
grade history book. 'But how can I read them?' He scanned the walls, translating them.  
  
'Evil will befall this world when the seven Millennium Items, and the three god cards are  
  
brought together and the pharaoh's memory is restored once again. The Shadow Realm  
  
will be reopened, and Armageddon is unleashed upon the unsuspecting victims...." He  
  
was interrupted by a shaky voice. "My liege, I did not have any other way to feed my  
  
family, I beg your forgiveness!" A weak, thin man cried. "You talk too much for your  
  
own good." Was the cold reply. Yami turned to his followers. "High Priest Seto, give him  
  
to Malik. Order him to cut off this commoner's tongue." He commanded viciously.  
  
"Pharaoh, have mercy!" The beggar screamed. "Mercy is for the weak, no place for the  
  
King of Egypt." "Stop this!" Yugi cried, but no one could hear him, no one could see  
  
him, and the dream dissolved before his eyes.  
  
~End Dream Sequence~  
  
~*~*~ WOW! Four typed pages! That's really long for me. Did you like that? Please review,  
  
and tell me what you think of it. Yami/Yugi fluff eventually. 


	3. Reflections

Hi everybody! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. ;_; I was SO busy, I didn't have time   
  
to write. But I had extra time in math, so I got to finish my chapter! ^_^  
  
Dictionary:  
Arigato: Thank you  
Domo arigato: Very polite thank you.  
Gomen: Sorry  
Gomen nasai: Very polite apology  
Ohayo: Morning  
  
Response to Reviews:  
Yami-no-Yugi: Patience is a virtue. You'll have to wait like everyone else! ^_^  
Firedraygon97: Domo arigato!  
Yami/Yugi: Thanks for the compliment. ^_^;  
Sethmarieka: I wasn't really making it to be angsty...  
Anime AndrAIa: Ya, I guess the dream was kinda spooky...  
Diamond: Thanks!  
Ly the werewolf: You're intrigued? Cool. ^_^  
PanDora: Yet another thank-you. ^^  
Kelly: I'M SORRY! I don't mean to be mean. (heh) Arigato.  
  
Inner World, Chapter Two: Reflections  
  
"EEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!" The alarm clock blared, jarring the petite fourteen-year-old   
  
awake. Yugi smacked the snooze button, silencing the annoying sound. The dream had   
  
already faded away into a distant memory. "Mmph." He groaned, sitting up. He tried to   
  
stand, but the blankets were twisted around his ankle, making him slide off the bed and   
  
crash onto the floor, rather painfully. "Ow! Dammit!" He cursed, rubbing his lower back.   
  
Yugi rushed to get ready, since he had overslept by hitting the snooze button too many   
  
times. Finally, he snatched up his backpack, called a good-bye to his grandfather, and   
  
began the walk to school. "Hey, Yug!" Joey called, running up behind him. "Good   
  
morning, Yugi." Ryou said politely. "Ohayo!" Yugi smiled at them, false cheerfulness   
  
masking the events of yesterday. "So? What'd she say?" Joey asked. Yugi sighed and let   
  
his mask crumble. The other two knew what had happened. "I'm sorry, buddy. She don't   
  
deserve your affection." "He's right, Yugi." Ryou comforted. "Domo arigato." Yugi   
  
smiled at his best friends. "We're gonna be late!" He shouted, panicking. The trio made a   
  
mad dash for the school.  
  
~*~  
  
"And so, what is the function of the noun?" The teacher's voice droned on and on. It was   
  
the last class before lunch, and everyone was bored out of their minds. Finally, the shrill   
  
shriek of the bell sounded, making many jump. They stampeded towards the door and   
  
headed for the cafeteria. Joey and Seto sat next to each other, as Yugi and Ryou did.   
  
"Please, Seto? Just one pepperoni?" Joey pleaded. "Now you're reduced to begging,   
  
mutt?" Seto remarked snidely. "Yes." Joey said stubbornly, no trace of hostility in his   
  
voice. The hints of a smile tugged at Seto's mouth, but he fought to keep a straight face.   
  
"Fine." He sighed, handing Joey the spicy meat. "Who got a pepperoni? Joey got a   
  
pepperoni!" The said pepperoni holder crowed, before scarfing it down. Everyone else at   
  
the table sweatdropped.   
  
~*~   
  
The sun was shining relatively warm that day, in contrast to the snow they had the day   
  
before. The four headed to the park to just bask in the sunlight. They were just talking   
  
about random things, chucking a hacky-sack at each other. (Gee, sounds familiar) Yugi   
  
edged closer to the end of the pond. He skipped a rock across the end of the water. The   
  
others soon followed. Yugi peered into the water's depth, trying to see through the   
  
barrier. The worlds broke down. Under the ripple of the water and the light of the dying   
  
sun, his reflection became distorted and twisted. The new figure had his eyes closed,   
  
while Yugi's were open. Slowly, the lids lifted up, revealing molten scarlet irises. Yugi   
  
gasped and shot up. He turned to run when a hand clamped around his wrist. "Let me   
  
go!" Yugi shouted, struggling against the person's grip. "Yug! What's the matter?" Joey   
  
said, alarmed. "My reflection isn't me!" Yugi shot at the blonde, his voice quivering   
  
slightly. Seto led the little one back to the water, forcing him to look. His frightened   
  
amethyst eyes gazed back from the surface. "It must have been an illusion. You know, a   
  
trick of the light." Ryou stated, trying to calm the boy down. "Maybe..." Yugi replied   
  
skeptically. "Man, we should be getting home." The foursome was already trudging out   
  
of the park. "It's almost dark." Yugi, in the very front, froze. 'Dark' He thought. He   
  
should know someone by that name. "Dark." He mumbled. Joey spun him around to face   
  
the rest, showing Yugi's pale, blank face and cloudy eyes. "Yugi? YUGI!"  
  
~*~   
  
Mwhahahaha! I am so evil! I am evvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllll! You guys are   
  
gonna hate me for that cliffhanger! ^_^ I couldn't resist. Well, please read and review.   
  
~Moonnymph 


	4. Dimension Switch

Hi! Sorry for the long wait! I hope this chapter's longer than usual....I do not own Yu-  
  
Gi-Oh.   
  
Inner World, Chapter Three: Dimension Switch  
  
"Bud, don't do this to us!" Joey yelled at his best friend. The huge violet eyes stared up at   
  
him, impassive. Joey shuddered at the gaze, unused to seeing the clouded, emotionless   
  
eyes. "Wake up! This isn't very funny, Yug." He mumbled, cross and frightened at the   
  
same time. "Quiet mutt, or I'm going to get you a muzzle." Seto snapped at the said mutt.   
  
"I believe we should bring him back to the game shop." Ryou suggested. "Agreed."  
  
~Yugi's Soulroom, in his POV~  
  
"Uh." I'm so tired. Why am I so tired? I haven't done anything. Where am I? This   
  
room... it's so familiar. But...I haven't seen it before, have I? My gaze flits around the   
  
room. There's a door on the right. I walk slowly towards it, making my way softly across   
  
the floor. I tentatively touch the doorknob. It's ice-cold, and my hand shoots back.   
  
~Yami's POV~   
  
I sense my light's presence. His soulroom must be opening! After all this time! I bolt out   
  
of one of the many rooms in my mind, and dart down to the entrance to the corridor. I   
  
press my palm against the door, making it swing open. The wide eyes of my hikari's gaze   
  
into mine, and we were linked once again. "Who are you?" He breathed. "You're the one   
  
I saw in my reflection." He is more beautiful than I remember. I begin to tell my tale, and   
  
some of the many secrets unraveled. "My name is Yami, and I am your yami, the missing   
  
darkness to your light. I am the other half of your soul." His eyes widen.  
  
~Normal POV~  
  
"We are in the inside of your mind. It projects your true personality, and emotions. See   
  
how the walls are this shade of green?" Yugi nodded, speechless. "It represents   
  
confusion. And that streak of orange? You are afraid. There is no need to be, hikari. And   
  
how a wall is completely yellow? Hope, sunshine, light. That will most likely never   
  
change." "Yyami?" Yugi stuttered. "Yes?" "What color is your room?" "Black. The   
  
undying darkness of going without light for far too long."   
  
~Outside World~  
  
The bells chimed as Ryou, Joey, and Seto, accompanied by the not-quite-there Yugi,   
  
rushed into the shop. "Hello everyone!" Solomon (Yugi's grandpa) greeted them   
  
cheerfully. "What's wrong with Yugi?" He questioned, coming across the blank stare.   
  
"It's like he fainted standing up!" Joey shouted. "Quick, lets get him into the living   
  
room." Solomon ordered, flipping the sign on the door from Open to Closed. They laid   
  
Yugi out on the couch. After checking the basic things, such as temperature, etc.,   
  
Solomon shrugged. "We should let him rest for now." He had long since shut Yugi's   
  
eyes. The others decided to wait for Yugi to awake. "Yugi...please wake up soon."   
  
Solomon murmured.  
  
~Soulroom~   
  
"Yugi...please wake up soon." The words danced around the toy-filled room. Yugi could   
  
feel the floor turning to liquid. His feet quickly sank.  
  
~Outside World~  
  
Yugi stirred. "Mmph." Instantly, his grandfather and friends were crowded around him.   
  
Yugi's eyelids fluttered, then went still. Everyone else sighed. "I suppose we have to   
  
wait some more." Ryou said glumly.  
  
~Soulroom~  
  
Yugi sat back, ripping his feet from the floor just before it re-hardened. He breathed hard,   
  
trying to get his heart rate down. "What was that?!" He asked, frightened. "You tried to   
  
go back to your world." Yami said simply, slightly hurt. 'Then again, look at the   
  
situation.' He sighed. The floor around Yugi began to melt again. In panic, he grabbed   
  
the closest thing: Yami's arm. An electric shock made him release his counterpart's limb.   
  
The floor dragged him under, similar to quicksand. His last glimpse was of Yami, staring   
  
down at him. "He'll be back." The darkness stated.  
  
~Outer World~   
  
"Uh." Yugi groaned, still locked between the dimensions. "Come on Yug, don't drift   
  
away from us again!" Joey pleaded. Yugi's eyelids fluttered opened, revealing the purple   
  
irises. "Yugi, what on earth happened?" Seto asked. "I'm not really sure." 'I'm not really   
  
sure..."  
  
Response to Reviews!  
  
Yami-no-Yugi: No! The pepperoni is mine! ^_^   
  
Anime Girl: Sorry I couldn't crank this out sooner. You scare me. ^^;;;;  
  
Anime AndrAIa: Yes! School sucks! And math class is a very good time to write.  
  
Ly the werewolf: O_o Yes, the metric system is Satan's tool.  
  
Mirror Image: Cool pen name. I'm sorry it took so long!  
  
YamiDark: Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
  
PanDora: Na, he won't remember his parents.  
  
stupid kid 04 and blah: OH MY RA! YOU ARE ONE OF MY FAVE. AUTHORS! *faints*   
  
Diamond: Thankies!  
  
The Dark Star Goddess: I'm sorry!  
  
firedraygon97: Yet another apology. DON'T HURT MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!  
  
Jian-Lan: Um...what do you mean?  
  
~*~  
  
Okay, please review! I beg of you! ^^; Oh, and if you leave your e-mail   
  
address, I'll give you a notice! Or e-mail me at moonnymph710@yahoo.com   
  
Ja ne!  
  
~Moonnymph 


	5. Eyes of Shadow

I AM SO SORRY! I have been so overloaded with core projects and home ec. Projects, it's rather overwhelming. I haven't even gotten a chance to work on this fic.  
  
Yami: Well, it took you long enough.  
  
:P  
  
Yugi: My, aren't we mature. -_-;;  
  
Yup! And I'll update Into the Looking Glass when I'm done with this chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: The nymph don't own anything.  
  
Inner World, Chapter Four: Eyes of Shadow  
By Moonnymph  
  
Yugi yawned and slumped against the couch cushions. Seto got up and began to gather his books. Joey and Ryou were also packing up when they heard a frightened voice behind them.  
  
"Don't leave me." Yugi begged, his eyes beginning to cloud over. Everyone sat down rather quickly.  
  
"C'mon Yugi, we won't leave if you don't want us to." Joey reassured his best friend.   
  
"He's right, we'll stay here." Ryou added as an afterthought. Seto, however, fidgeted uncomfortably.  
  
"Actually, I have to go home...Mokuba can't be by himself for too long after school." Yugi blinked, and shook his head.   
  
"That's okay, Seto, we understand."   
  
Yugi's grandfather interrupted the conversation next. "You boys run along now, Yugi will be just fine."   
  
"I can stay with you, Yugi, if you want me too." Ryou said in his soft voice.  
  
"Sorry guys, but Serenity's coming to visit, and I gotta get home soon. See ya!" Joey said, heading out the door.  
  
"Bye Joey!" The other two called after him.  
  
Yugi yawned. "I think I'm fine now, Ryou. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to."   
  
Ryou shifted warily. "That's all right Yugi. It's not a problem at all! And it'll be nice to have some human company."  
  
Yugi and his grandfather gave him curious glances.   
  
"My father isn't home very often, and my mother passed away a long time ago." Ryou said quietly. The Muotos did not know how to respond.  
  
~*~  
Yugi went into the bathroom to change. When he stepped out, he cautiously knocked on the door to his room.   
  
"Are you done?" He called.  
  
"It's okay Yugi!" Ryou answered.  
  
Yugi opened the door to find Ryou sitting on his sleeping bag.   
  
"How are you feeling?" The British one asked.  
  
"I'm a lot better now!" Yugi responded in his naturally cheerful way.   
  
"That's great!" Ryou smiled. "Good night Yugi." He said, sliding into the bag.  
  
"Hang on, I've got to take out my contacts." The tri-hair colored boy said suddenly.  
  
"You wear contacts?" Ryou inquired curiously. 'How did I not know this?' He wondered, bewildered.  
  
"Yup. I have for a long time." Yugi faced his bureau, carefully folding the lens out of his eye. He put both of his contacts away in the special white case. He turned towards his friend, blinking a few times. Ryou was stunned at the subtle change, yet everything about the little one looked different.  
  
"Yugi! Your eyes...they're red!" Ryou blurted out, surprised. Yugi nodded. His eyes sparked in the dim light of the room, gleaming like liquid flames. It freaked out his friend.  
  
"Well, good night Ryou." Yugi mumbled sleepily, crawling in between the sheets.   
  
"Good night Yugi."  
  
~*~  
"Well, I'm glad to see you came back, little one." Yami smiled, his deep baritone voice echoing about Yugi's soulroom. He was sitting on the boy's desk, comfortably swinging his legs.   
  
"Yami?" Yugi squinted up at his counterpart, eyes heavy-lidded. The expression made him look even younger. Yami chuckled, gazing down at the hikari.   
  
"Shh, go to sleep, I'll see you soon." 'The boy is obviously tired.' He thought to himself.  
  
"Aren't you going to sleep?" Yugi asked, close to dozing off.   
  
"No, I'll wait up for you. By the looks of it, that shouldn't be very long." Yami couldn't go to bed, not until his light was resting.   
  
"Okay, if you're sure..." Yugi's eyelids drifted closed, his breathing even and peaceful. Yami leaned forward, brushing the jagged blond bangs away from Yugi's face.   
  
"I'm sure."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
Response to Reviews:  
  
Starkiss-Arigato!  
  
The Dark Star Goddess-Oops! ^^;;;  
  
Diamond-Hey, 'sup?  
  
Yami-no-Yugi-O_o Never watched the movie before...  
  
anime AndrAIa-Someone understands my problem! Praise heaven!  
  
stupid kid 04 and blah-*giggles* You guys fight just like my friends...You've written my longest review ever! Here, have a leftover Academy Award. *hands it over*  
  
Namida-sama-Major point there!  
  
Babygurl-Wow! I love your story, in case you didn't know.  
  
MoonGoddess-I'm sorry...*teary eyes* Love the name too, lol.  
  
Black-Rose-Spirit-Mage-'Sall right. We don't get very many thunderstorms in Cali...  
  
Shan Jian-Lan-I'm sorry! If you gave me your e-mail, I'd send you a notice when I got the next chappie up.  
  
~*~  
Okay, people. I apologize for the slow (and not very long...) updates.  
  
Yami: Got that right!  
  
Quiet you! Anyways, feel free to send me an e-mail when you're really impatient or if I'm taking a really long time to update. I'm the kind of person who needs a slight kick in the ass to do something.   
  
About my name...I chose it because nymphs are the half-goddesses in Greek mythology, and I love the moon. THOSE ARE THE ONLY REASONS! Ahem, please review! 


	6. Deep Inside

I'm back! ^_______^  
  
Yami: Oh, we're *so* overjoyed.  
  
;_; You're being mean. *pokes Yami's shoulder*  
  
Yugi: *giggles*  
  
Yami: *scowls*  
  
Ahem! Anyways, lets not waste more time.  
  
Disclaimer: How come you keep asking me?! LEAVE ME ALONE!  
  
Inner World, Chapter Five: Deep Inside  
By Moonnymph  
  
Yugi stretched, basking in the bars of sunshine that streamed through his window. Ryou was still asleep, his chest rising up and down evenly. Yugi blinked, his crimson eyes dull with the glaze of awakening.   
  
'It's too early.' He mumbled, flopping back onto his pillows. He burrowed into the cushion, wrapping his arms around it and sighing contently. Neither he nor Ryou got up for a long time.  
  
~*~  
Ryou rose and padded into the kitchen wearing his green slippers.  
  
"Good morning Mr. Muoto!" He chirped brightly.  
  
"Ah, good morning Ryou!" Grandpa replied. "Is Yugi still asleep?"  
  
"I'm afraid so. I would hate to wake him up, he looks so peaceful." Ryou answered.  
  
Grandpa nodded. "I don't like waking him either, but if I didn't, he'd be late for school!" He chuckled, remembering such occasions.  
  
Ryou suddenly frowned. "What do you suppose that episode was all about yesterday?"  
  
Grandpa's face darkened with worry. "I'm not quite certain."  
  
Yugi stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Morning." He mumbled. "What's for breakfast Grandpa?"   
  
"Anything you're willing to make."   
  
Yugi pouted, making the other ones laugh. "I know, waffles!" Suddenly energized, he darted around the room gathering the waffle iron and ingredients. Ryou and Grandpa stared as he flew about the room, a tri-colored blur.   
  
~*~  
"It was nice having you over Ryou!" Yugi was saying good-bye to his friend.   
  
"Thanks for having me." Ryou smiled. "Bye Mr. Muoto!" He called.  
  
"Good-bye, Ryou!" Grandpa called back. Yugi shut the door.   
  
"I'm going up to my room for a while." The little one turned towards the stairs.  
  
"Okay. I'll be sweeping out front." (Does anyone else notice he always seems to be sweeping? O_o)   
  
The door clicked shut behind Yugi. He sluggishly made his way to his bed and carelessly toppled onto it. He shut his eyes.  
  
Yugi slowly dragged his eyelids up. He was in an entirely different realm. It was a huge, open prairie, with one gigantic tree in the very middle of it. The sky was a pale lavender, tinted with the colors of the rising dawn.   
  
/Where am I?/ Instead of being trapped within the boundaries of his mind, the thought reached out across the plains, echoing back faintly. Yugi jumped. Dark, forbidding storm clouds reached across the heavens. Quick dashes of white-hot lightning streaked down to hit the ground, making the earth shudder and split.  
  
Yugi trembled. He did not enjoy being in this strange, unfamiliar world. He began to move towards the tree. A force, almost like invisible hands, was drawing him to the center of this secret land.  
  
When the petite boy made it to the tree, a barrier rose up, blocking him. Yugi pressed his hands against it, a wall of glass. He peered into its depths. A perfect image was reflected back, his eyes closed.   
  
//Come inside...// A whispery voice breathed. The barrier cracked, then shattered.   
  
Yugi glided towards the only vertical structure in the midst of the flatlands. He pressed his hands against the rough bark, his fingers drifting down it, tracing every crevice.   
  
He gripped the branched, delicately pulling his small frame towards the canopy.   
  
Yugi settled down in the center of the tree, leaning up against a branch. A figure jumped down from the concealment of the leaves, startling the younger one. Yugi relaxed, recognizing the darkness.  
  
"Hi Yami."  
  
~*~  
I think I'll end it now. I'm sorry it was so short, but I'm tired. It's our spring break, so I'm gonna try to update more frequently. Night!  
  
Response to reviews:  
Yami-no-Yugi: *giggles* Not yet, not yet.  
  
Anime AndrAIa: LOL! XD Ya, I wanted his eyes to be red.  
  
Ly the werewolf: Ya, I'm sorry I can't concentrate on it for very long...and my plotlines tend to creep VERY slowly...this story's gonna be long. -_-;;  
  
Shan Jian-Lan: Ya, your review a few chapters back got me writing again. Did you get your address from the Powerpuff Girls? (no offense if you didn't...Bubbles was a superhero named harmony bunny...ya)  
  
Diamond: Thanks. I ain't gonna stop soon!  
  
Ninetales122: Arigato, 9tales! ^^  
  
The Dark Star Goddess: *blinks* You won't talk to me? We're never on at the same time. u_u By the way, a lot of people comment on my name, that's all.  
  
Mistykasumi: Wow! *smiles* Good review! ^^ That was fluff? O_o I didn't think so. *shrugs* I guess that last part could be it. I'm glad the formatting's fixed too. *mumbles about cursed technology*  
  
PanDora: Hey, 'sup? It's okay, I've been busy too. I like slow romance, personally.  
  
Shizuka-chan: No, that was mine. The 'nymph' part. *rolls eyes* I like your new s/n. ^^  
  
Firedraygon97: Hi! I haven't seen you for a little bit. Thanks!  
  
Queen of Eternal Darkness: Thanks. 


	7. Festival

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.  
  
Domo arigato to Shadowguardian, for being my 75th reviewer! *hugs* And thanks to all my other reviewers! *tosses pixie stix*   
  
Inner World, Chapter Six: Festival  
By Moonnymph  
  
(I think I'll do a tiny recap)  
  
~Recaption~  
He began to move towards the tree. A force, almost like invisible hands, was drawing him to the center of this secret land.  
  
//Come inside...// A whispery voice breathed. The barrier cracked, then shattered.  
  
Yugi settled down in the center of the tree, leaning up against a branch. A figure jumped down from the concealment of the leaves, startling the younger one. Yugi relaxed, recognizing the darkness.  
  
"Hi Yami."  
~End Recaption~  
  
~Yami's POV~  
The little one stayed by my side until the shadows spread upon this desolate prairie.  
  
He curled into my arms, burrowing into my side. He looked up at me with those alluring eyes.  
  
"I don't understand why I can trust you so completely, but I do. Even if I didn't have to, I would."   
  
I smile down at my light. He suddenly frowns. "Yugi? What is it?"  
  
The chibi-form next to me shivers. "It's getting cold here."  
  
I concentrate. The world disintegrates into a thick, choking fog. We reappear in the corridor between our soulrooms.   
  
Yugi blinked. "Where were we, anyway?"  
  
I stretch. "A million other worlds connect to the ones inside our mind. I can open the dimensions and modify them as I please."  
  
"Oh..." Yugi ponders this fact. Suddenly, his eyes close, and he slumps against my side.  
  
"Yugi? Yugi!" I exclaimed, already panicking.  
  
He softly breathes, fast asleep. I smile and carry him into his soulroom.  
~Sunday, Yami's POV~  
A knock sounds at my door.   
  
"You can come in, Yugi. You don't have to knock."   
  
The door flies open, and hikari shoots into my room, not even noticing the darkness and Egyptian style. He tackles me to the ground, catching me by surprise.  
  
"You seem..." I search for a word. "Energetic, aibou."  
  
He beams at me. "Grandpa told me that Domino's having a festival tonight!"   
  
"A what?" I'm confused. Modern celebrations are most likely different from the animal sacrifices and Nile rituals we used to have.  
  
"A festival, Yami. It's when people go to a place where they can play games, and eat, and sometimes there's even rides!" He tells me excitedly.  
  
I'm getting a faint mental image, but those are always different from the real thing.   
  
"But...you don't have a body yourself, out in our world." It's directed as a question.  
  
I shake my head. "No, I don't."  
  
His face falls slightly, and I curse myself for bringing down his cheerfulness.  
  
"I'm sorry you can't come Yami." His face shows the utter remorse and sincerity that he's feeling.  
  
I ruffle his hair. "It's okay, hikari. I don't mind."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really really." I smile at him. (Shrek! Lol)  
  
~Sunday Night, still in Yami's POV~  
  
My door creaks open, more gently this time.  
  
"Yami?" A little voice whispers.  
  
"I'm awake, aibou. How was the festival?"  
  
"Oh, it was amazing!"  
  
I chuckle. If my aibou is happy, then I am too.  
  
"I just wish you could have been there."  
  
"I can, aibou."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Hold still and trust me, okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
~Normal POV~  
Yami crossed his soulroom to greet Yugi. He put his hands on Yugi's face, and gently touched their foreheads together. The room began to shift and melt, before taking shape once again. The two parted, and Yami straightened up.  
  
"This is...the festival grounds!" Yugi said in awe. He looked down at his clothes, and discovered he was wearing the same kimono he'd been wearing earlier. (um...the guy's kimono. ^^;;;) Yami was wearing an exact replica.  
  
Yami smiled. "I recreated this from your memory. I can explore this place with you."  
  
Yugi tackled-hugged Yami, who landed with an 'oomph' on a patch of grass. "I'm happy you could come too, Yami!"  
  
A loud chuckle rose from Yami's throat. "C'mon, aibou. It's getting late, and you have that...prison to go to tomorrow."  
  
"It's a school, Yami." He thought for a moment. "Actually, there is no difference."  
  
Yami laughed, then abruptly focused on their agenda, a trait left over from his reign.  
  
"Okay, aibou, show me what these modern celebrations are like." Yami gently commanded.  
  
The two wandered about, trying to see everything there was. They sat down underneath a cluster of willow trees, gazing up at the night sky.  
  
"It's so peaceful here, Yami." Yugi said, stretching out on the grass.  
  
Yami nodded. "Too bad we just can't stay here for eternity."  
  
Yugi just shut his eyes, blissfully sinking into a doze.  
  
Yami rested beside his counterpart, falling asleep as the crickets chirped and the fireflies twinkled their lightshow above.  
  
~*~  
Response to Reviews-  
  
Yami-no-Yugi: Patience, patience.   
  
firedraygon97: No, it's better if you don't. ^^  
  
anime AndrAIa: *is burned out* Ya, all my chapters are short.  
  
Celestial Magician: I personally don't know. I'll keep using my way for now.  
  
Hari ng Laro: Cool, you registered!   
  
PanDora: Finally, someone doesn't mind that the romance is slow! ^___^ Have a Yugi plushie.  
  
Mistykasumi: I suppose it could be fluff-worthy. ^^V And yes, technology is evil.  
  
Sakura- Arigato!  
  
Princess Strawberry: ^^V It's okay, Strawberry. ^^  
  
Babygurl: Don't mind little ol' me. ^^ I thought contacts would be unusual, and Ryou must be kinda lonely. Seriously, he's always sweeping!  
  
Ninetales122: n_n Thanks, Ninetales.  
  
Queen of Eternal Darkness: That's what I'm doin', and I don't plan to stop now!  
  
Ly the werewolf: Lol, I reread it, and it was creepy to me too.  
  
Kittywriter: ^^;;; Sorry I took so long.   
  
Merodi no Yami: Thanks! ^^ I didn't know how to pronounce cliché until recently. XD Don't mind me, I'm insane. Tell me when you update!  
  
Starkiss: 'Bout time! XP jk, jk. I liked the contacts. *pouts*  
  
Shadowguardian: I don't know, honestly.  
  
Girasol: WAZ UP, GIRA?! Lol. I got the tree from YYH. XD It seemed lonesome to me. I'm NO BAKA! XP  
  
~*~  
Phew! That gets longer every time. ^____________^ Thanks to everyone! 


	8. Reunion

Reunion.  
  
=+=  
  
Yugi plopped down on the bed in his soul room, to think about the day. It was busy, and filled with the monotonous events of school. He sighed, settling into the thick bedspread.  
  
'I'm not feeling well today.' He thought, realizing that it was true. 'I wonder if I'm getting sick.' He lay sprawled across his bed, searching deep inside.  
  
Loneliness.  
  
'What? Is that what I'm feeling? I'm lonely? But how can that be? I have Grandpa, and my friends, and Yami." Yugi stopped suddenly and his eyes clouded over. The room dimmed considerably, and Yugi remained frozen, gazing at the wall.  
  
=+=  
  
Yami was reading a book, so engaged in it, that he didn't even notice Yugi's presence. Suddenly, another presence startled him into reality.  
  
#Yugi.Yugi, come and see us.we've been waiting for so long to see you.#  
  
"Aibou!" Yami shouted, jumping off his bed. He threw open the door, and tried to open Yugi's, which he had unconsciously locked.  
  
"Yugi! Open this door!" Yami yelled, furious and panicked. 'He's in danger, and I can do nothing!'  
  
He tried blasting the door with his shadow magic, but even after that attack, the door would not yield.  
  
"Aibou!"  
  
=+=  
  
#Come to us.we can live together in peace, forever, Yugi. The chance we never had in this world.#  
  
Yugi stepped off his bed and walked in a trance. A shadow moved up the wall, and swirled into a door.  
  
#Now, open the door.#  
  
Yugi's eyes clear for a split second. "N-no." He sensed a blast of anger, and fell prisoner once again to the trance.  
  
#Open the door!#  
  
"Yes." Yugi's hand reached out and touched the knob, which creaked as it turned. The door swung open, and a bright glare blinded Yugi before the darkness erupted. He finally woke, to see the faces of the ones who had unintentionally caused him so much pain.  
  
"Mom.? Dad?" He suddenly recognized them, and the pain bit at him, harsh and abrupt.  
  
Then the darkness took him away.  
  
"Yami.save me, Yami!" He shrieked.  
  
=+=  
  
I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, for not writing. 


End file.
